Flotsam and Jetsam - Shutdown Reaches 40 Days

If they don't solve it soon, people might get to like it. At JTN, Nick Ballasay reports Thune says bipartisan shutdown talks have been positive "Saturday was the 39th day of the government shutdown." I wonder whose store they're giving away. Drew Berquist hears about a Shutdown Showdown: Democrats Claim They’re ‘Unified’ as America Suffers. From Twitchy A Fuming Chuck Schumer Did NOT Like a GOP Senator's Questions About His Proposal So He STORMED OFF. Amber Jo Cooper @AmberJoCooper, "WATCH: @SenSchumer abruptly walks off the floor as he was being questioned by Sen. @BernieMoreno about his proposal to end the shutdown. Moreno asked Schumer if his proposal was in writing that people could look at.. and if people making millions would still receive the COVID-era subsidies. Moreno: “I was going to ask him before he stormed out of the room because evidently he doesn‘t want to hear any opposing views or actually engage in meaningful negotiation … Would he continue 0 dollar premiums, which we know for a FACT, have enormous levels of fraud.." "If he had stayed, I would have asked him a third question: Does he these monies to go directly to insurance companies?” Sundance at CTH hears President Trump Recommends Congress Bypass Funding Health Insurance Companies and Send Funds Directly to Consumers. What, no cut? At WaEx, Air traffic controllers warn flight cuts won’t ease shutdown strain or prevent risk. Casey Chalk at Da Fed says the Longest Shutdown Ever Reveals U.S. Could Stand To Fire A Lot Of Federal Workers. A lot. Atop Da Hill, Court rules Trump administration violated First Amendment with out-of-office messages. From LifeZette, Obama Judge Rebuked as Supreme Court Halts SNAP Spending Mandate. Streiff at RedState is scandalized by Shenanigans! Over a Dozen States Outmaneuver the Supreme Court and Take Full SNAP Money Anyway. At TownHall Tom Knighton thinks It's Time to Stigmatize Some People Again for abusing SNAP. From Just Facts Daily, The Actual Facts on Taxpayer-Funded Healthcare For Illegal Immigrants "Contrary to Democrats and certain “fact checkers,” Senate Democrats are demanding significant amounts of taxpayer-funded healthcare for illegal immigrants in exchange for opening the government for merely one month. Contrary to Republicans, healthcare for illegal immigrants, even under the broadest definition of that term, accounts for less than 13% of the Democrat bill that would enact their demands." 13% of a huge number is still a big number.

Foreign Affairs makes The Case for Trump’s Second-Term Foreign Policy "Peace Through Strength Is Delivering Stability and Security." AP is disappointed Kazakhstan will join the Abraham Accords with Israel in symbolic move to boost the Trump initiative. ET, Trump Announces Trade Deal With Uzbekistan. From CEPA, Europe Can Feast on Cheap US Gas (and Roast Russia in the Process). "Abundant gas supply is now available for Central and East European countries. Will they seize the opportunity?" JD Davidson at Da Fed thinks The Attacks On Heritage And Kevin Roberts Are Really About Foreign Policy And J.D. Vance.

A video at Hat Hair, The Government is Shut Down and the Capitalist Capital of the World Will Have a Socialist Mayor Now. From the Freep, New York City’s Socialist Experiment Begins. At WaPoo the editors opine Zohran Mamdani drops the mask "The mayor-elect divides New Yorkers into two groups: the oppressed and their oppressors." Hat Hair's John Sexton says Now It Can Be Told: Mamdani's Plans Are Going to Be Wildly Expensive. Surprise! Amy Curtis at TownHall, 'I Lived Behind the Iron Curtain:' Man Who Fled Communism Warns New Yorkers About What's Coming. At Floridian Press, Carlos Gimenez Brands Zohran Mamdani a ‘Marxist’ Like Fidel Castro. Althouse finds "Zoran Momani has been elected.... So what?... What's the big deal? Obviously he was going to win.... You can just leave...." ""But there are people out there who... are finding it increasingly difficult to afford New York City. Those people — the paint-by-numbers/pin a ribbon on me/I did all of the right things/I have all of the right views/I post all of the right things on social media.... They're normies.... They're just boring and vapid and surface and dull and pointless.... and their concerns are so small and petty.... That is the coalition that Zoran has. He has a coalition of angry, boring, mediocre people that have done the right things and have gotten very little for it.... Tim Dillon explains New York." When it turns into a shithole prices will decline. From NYPo, NYPD already losing officers with morale plunging as anti-cop Zohran Mamdani prepares to take reins. Tom Knighton at BA goes on About the Safety Mamdani Promised on Those Free Buses.

Amanda Head at JTN sees an Alarming number of Americans, Democrats expect a politically violent future, "A majority of Americans believe political violence will increase as a starling uptick. Others hold the belief that it is justified. The acceptability of such justifications appear to be divided by party lines, according to polling." Pop Times, Even the Left’s Favorite Comedian Says Democrats Are Falling Apart. Scott McKay at Am Spec thinks The Cold Civil War Is Now on Defrost, and the Right Still Isn’t Ready, "Kill the filibuster now, and start making policy in a lightning round."

At Da Signal Tyler O'Neil looks at 8 Winners and Losers of the 2025 Election and the Great Victor Davis Hanson, wonders Does the Democrats’ Chaos Strategy Work? Pop Times cites Mike Johnson: The Democrat Party Has ‘Officially Surrendered to Radicals Who Hate America’" Streiff says We're Doomed. Omar Fateh Lost the Minneapolis Mayor's Race Because He Lost the Loyalty of Somali Clans. From the Free Bacon, Dems Rejoice as Child Murder Buff Taps Blackface Gov, aka 'Coonman,' to Lead Transition Team, "A scandal-plagued power couple: Ralph Northam advising AG-elect Jay Jones in Virginia." From Insty, YOU DON’T HAVE TO FALLL IN LOVE, YOU JUST HAVE TO FALL IN LINE. Anti-Gun Brady PAC Quietly Yanked Jay Jones Endorsement Over His Violent Text Messages. It Now Claims To Have ‘Proudly’ Supported Him. Rusty Weiss at RedState reports Thousands of Ballots Discovered in Maricopa County 3 Days After Election: ‘Going To Be Mistakes.’ At WaEx, Republicans scrutinize ‘inconsistencies’ in New Jersey election, including hundreds of thousands of new Democratic voters. Matt Margolis at PJM says Something Doesn’t Add Up in New Jersey’s Election Results — and Pollsters Know It.

From LifeZette, Scott Jennings Has Entire CNN Panel in Stitches with Sarcastic Jab at Nancy Pelosi. Matt Margolis says Forget Pelosi, Here’s Why You Should Fear Her Likely Successor. From Fox, Newsom tells Texas crowd taking back House is 'the whole thing' for Democrats in 2026. "The California governor celebrated Proposition 50's redistricting victory, going on the road to Houston on Saturday." Capt. Ed at Hat Hair says Oh My: Judge Green-Lights Lawsuit Accusing Newsom Aide of Facilitating Anti-Semitic Smear Campaign.

Driscoll at Insty, OLD AND BUSTED: The 1970s Hollywood trope of bitter PTSD-inflicted American soldiers broken by years of service in Vietnam. The New Hotness? Sage Steele @sagesteele, "What a heartbreaking existence. Thoughts and prayers for Michelle Obama as she continues her recovery from 8 years as The First Lady…that ended almost a decade ago." Quote End Wokeness @EndWokeness, "Michelle Obama complains about her life: "It is not a luxury to have hair & makeup team"

More on the tentative identification of the J6 bomber. From Da Blaze, Former Capitol Police officer a forensic match for Jan. 6 pipe bomber, sources say The FBI, which failed to solve the case in nearly five years of investigation but indicated that it was closing in after Blaze News brought its investigation to intelligence sources, was feet from the Falls Church address of the pipe bomb suspect days after Jan. 6, according to the Blaze News investigation. Former FBI Special Agent Kyle Seraphin realized Friday that he was doing surveillance next door to the woman now suspected of being the Jan. 6 pipe bomber. “The FBI put us one door away from the pipe bomber within days of January 6, and we were deliberately pulled away for no logical or logically investigative reason,” Seraphin told Blaze News Friday. “And everything about that tells me that they were involved in a cover-up and have been since day one." Sundance at CTH, Blaze Journalist Steve Baker Identifies January 6 Pipe Bomber as Former Capitol Police Officer Shauni Kerkhoff. Matt Vespa, *If* That's the J6 Pipe Bomb Suspect, This Story Has Taken Another Wild Turn. After the Kap Kops, she went to work security at the CIA! Ace, The Blaze Publishes Name of Person It Claims Matches the J5 Pipe Bomber, Based on Gait Analysis, "Eh. Update: "Eh" is becoming "nahh."" Nowhere near done with this story.

Fox reports Brennan, Strzok, Page subpoenaed as part of federal Russiagate probe: Sources. "Law enforcement sources told Fox News Digital that up to 30 subpoenas related to the probe will be issued in the coming days." John Sexton is pleased when a Grand Jury Subpoenas Brennan, Strzok and Page. Nick Ballasy again, reports Most voters favor impeaching Judge Boasberg over ‘Arctic Frost’ scandal, poll shows. "The poll results show that 26% don’t regard the Arctic Frost scandal as serious, which includes 12% who believe it is "not at all" serious." From Da Caller, Obama Judge Who Greenlit Secret Subpoenas Targeting GOP Hit With Ethics Complaint. The Chronic argues it Justice, Not Revenge. "Now they’re squealing like pregnant penguins but I, for one, hope Trump sticks it to them. If I sound vengeful, I am not. I truly believe it might teach the left a lesson: Once in power, be magnanimous. Do not do a Biden, because things can change and come back to bite you. Revenge is a two-headed monster and we never know which way it might go." Sundance argues The Hidden Transcript of Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson Testimony Is the Key to Reveal CIA Targeting of President Donald Trump.

From the Free Bacon, Woman Who Harassed Stephen Miller’s Family at Their Home Is Harmless Academic ‘In the Field of Peace Studies,’ Her Lawyer Argues, "Barbara Wien also made a threatening ‘I’m watching you’ gesture at Miller’s wife," and Cotton Presses DOJ to Investigate Code Pink's Terror, CCP Ties. From the College Fix, U. Chicago professor heading to court for alleged battery of police officer at ICE protest. Hat Hair's Beege Welborn, sees Every ICE Target Is a Potential Oscar Winner and Dave Strom explains How Immigration Propaganda Works. Jonathan Turley @JonathanTurley "These incidents show the sense of license and righteous rage of many on campuses today. That is fed by a culture of orthodoxy and viewpoint intolerance that pervades higher education in the United States today." jonathanturley.org "Iowa Student Arrested After Two Attacks on Conservative Displays on Campus. "This week, we have another attack on a display by conservative students at a U.S. university.

At Fox, Joe Rogan, Elon Musk slam blue city judges after repeat offender charged in Charlotte train murder "DeCarlos Brown Jr. allegedly killed Iryna Zarutska on Charlotte commuter train after judge's release." Not much allegedly about it. Reagan Reese at Da Caller, Trump Admin Executes Massive Crime Crackdown In Memphis.

From Twitchy, ‘Entertainment Welfare’: Greg Gutfeld Confronts NYT Journo With the Truth of Late-Night TV’s Demise. Althouse is delighted, "And I’m never going to call somebody fat because they’re fat. I’m going to call you fat if you called me Hitler." ""And the best part about that is it hurts them. It hurts them more than if they were to call me Hitler because they have to look in the mirror every day. I know I’m not Hitler. They know they’re fat." Said Greg Gutfeld, in "The Interview/Fox News Wanted Greg Gutfeld to Do This Interview. He Wasn’t So Sure" (NYT)." Driscoll at Insty, JIMMY KIMMEL’S WIFE WISHES SHE COULD “DEPROGRAM” HER RAGING TDS: "ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel and his wife, executive producer, and co-head writer Molly McNearney, stopped by the Thursday episode of the We Can Do Hard Things podcast to look back on Kimmel’s recent suspension. While the words “Charlie Kirk” were never mentioned once during the nearly 70-minute episode, Kimmel and McNearney claimed they told their children that President Trump was the one responsible for his suspension." From Da Mail, Artist sparks controversy for installation showing a crucified Donald Trump dubbed 'Saint or Sinner.' Beege Welborn sees Weiss's Intense CBS Change Storm Hits 'Climate Desk' Hard - Blows It Right Out of the Building.

Sean Silverman: Silverman Bar Exam & LSAT Tutoring @BarExamTutor, "1: A law school graduate who has not yet passed the bar exam is writing the briefs for this law firm. The law firm submits one of those briefs written entirely by the law school graduate to the 9th Circuit. 2: The law graduate used AI to help write the brief. Tough to blame the law graduate: that's a lot of pressure so early in one's career. 3: The lawyer arguing the case doesn't review the work submitted by the law school graduate to make sure that the AI hasn't made up cases that don't actually exist in our physical world and instead only exist in the digital world inhabited by non-human AI's. 4: The judges are very confused by all of the above. They ask the lawyer to explain. 5: The lawyer tries to explain and his explanation is that before submitting the briefs, nobody checked the citations. 6: The judges are still very confused. Uncomfortable to watch."

Fox 5, DeKalb police officer investigated after encounter with transgender woman. He's so obviously a man. Amy Curtis at TownHall, Revelations of Insurance Fraud at MI Children's Hospital Exposes Troubling 'Gender-Affirming' Practices. There's plenty good money to be made, supplying the groomers with the stock of their trade.

The Wombat has FMJRA 2.0: In Like A Lion up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.

Flotsam and Jetsam - Biden on the Cusp

Which way will he fall?  Whoo boy! Hat Hair's KT hears Axelrod Predicts Biden will “Lose by a Landslide”: Brutal. Paul Bedard at WaEx, Biden’s excuses fuel push to exit 2024 race. From NewsMax, Senior House Democrat Urges Biden to Leave 2024 Race. Hollywood in Toto, when you've lost Meathead, Rob Reiner Does 180 on President Biden: It’s Time to ‘Step Down.’ "Hollywood's loudest Trump critic has seen enough of addled Commander in Chief." KT again, Reiner: 'It's Time to Stop F***ing Around' - Biden Must Go. Sundance at CTH sees a Furrowed Brow Speaks About Need to Replace Biden on Behalf of the State Dept Who are Worried About Losing Ukraine Money if Trump Wins, Jake Tapper. Also, Biden Refuses Meeting with IC Spox – IC Spox Sends Biden a Tweet The Peacock whines ‘No one is picking up the phone’: Joe Biden’s fundraising confronts new hurdles after debate. Capt. Ed at Hat Hair is amused when a 50-Year DC Insider Cries: The Elites Want Me Out! Twitchy sees an Angry First Lady Jill Biden Rebuke a Reporter for Asking a Simple Question.  Matt Margolis at PJM hopes The Democratic National Convention Could Be an Epic Political Massacre. Ryan King at NYPo, Dems increasingly worry President Biden will spell doom for down-ballot races: ‘The s–t is going to hit the fan.’ Matt Taibbi at Racket reports Details On the Proposed "Blitz Primary", The oddest primary season in modern times may take an even stranger turn, as calls for Joe Biden to step down as presumptive Democratic nominee grow louder."

However, Dave Strom at Hat Hair warns Expect a 180° Reversal in Calls for Biden to Leave, as their options become clearer. Also, Irresistible Force Meets Immovable Object and Where Are the Calls for 25th Amendment? ET, Prominent Democrats Voice Support for Biden After ABC Interview. Robby Soave at Reason has a Prediction: Sorry Democrats, Biden Isn't Going Anywhere. "Biden wants to retain his power. Most political leaders do!" Capt. Ed has a Letter from Biden (?): I'm Staying in the Race, and That's That.  Ace, "I'm Not Going Anywhere," Dark Brandon Promises, and Demands That Democrats "End" All Chatter About Him Dropping Out of the Race. "But the pressure will continue to mount. Unless it doesn't -- if Democrats get the message that Biden will not drop out for any reason and that continuing to talk about him being unfit for office is only guaranteeing a Trump victory, maybe they will stop the public campaign to pressure him to leave the race." Capt. Ed quibbles, Maybe. I'd bet that way if Biden doesn't leave soon. Althouse, "If any of these guys don’t think I should run, run against me. Go ahead, announce for president. Challenge me at the convention."  Jim Geraghty explains how The Biden Family Tries the Ralph Northam Strategy. Sundance, Biden Family Enter Negotiation Stage – Letter to Congress Frames Baseline for Exit Price. Larry at Hat Hair has a video, Biden's Last-Ditch Effort to Save Campaign, Joe Roasted by Black Pastor! KT again, Rep. Clyburn's Awkward Cancellation of a Sunday Morning Show Appearance. Losing faith? At Althouse, Black House members have rallied behind Biden... The desire to defend Biden appears to be so widespread..." Capt. Ed has Great News: KJP, Kirby Announce Biden Will Hold a 'Big Boy Press Conference'! 'Bonchie' at RedState, WATCH: Joe Biden Goes on 'Morning Joe,' Appears to Read From a Script and Starts Screaming Incoherently. NewsMax points out Harris 'Increasing Her Role' in Reelection Effort. Capt. Ed, Gee, I wonder why Harris' role will increase? Could it be because Biden's role has to decrease? Sister Toldja at RedState tells The 'Open Secret' About Kamala Harris That Is Fueling the Anybody-But-Kamala Chatter on Capitol Hill. Matt Stoller@matthewstoller "It's an open secret that Kamala Harris is stupid and isn't good at campaigning. Are we going to pretend that we can move from one open secret about Biden's senility straight to another one about the next nominee? Don't answer that." Dave Strom hears Whitmer: I'm Out. I don't believe her.  Guy Benson at TownHall explains how How Trump Could Wreak Havoc in Democrats' War Over Biden: Guy Benson @guypbenson "Question: While I am fascinated by Trump’s relative silence as next-level #DemsInDisarray plays out, given our tribal age negative partisanship , what would happen if Trump publicly, briefly & forcefully… …called for Biden to exit the race, for the good of the country? WaEx, Biden expected to make decision about future in ‘next couple of days,’ Hawaii governor says. 

Jazz Shaw at Hat Hair,*Shudders* Is Hunter Biden the Real Power Behind the Throne Now? Matt Vespa at TownHall, Who Is Running the White House? Because This Article Spills Some Disturbing Details. At TAG, Legal Scholar Suggests Scheme To Put Obama Back In White House. "While many might object to the scheme citing the two-term limit for the country’s highest office, Banzhaf said that isn’t exactly the case. The amendment limiting presidential terms says: “No person shall be elected to the office of the president more than twice, and no person who has held the office of the president, or acted as president, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected president shall be elected to the office of the president more than once.” “While this amendment may bar Obama from ‘being elected’ to the office of president again, it obviously and by its clear language doesn’t prohibit him from being elected as vice president, and subsequently becoming president by succession without ever being elected to the office again,” Banzhaf said."

KT, Hmm. Biden's Physician Met with Parkinson’s Specialist in the White House...in January. Ace, A Doctor Specializing in the Treatment of Parkinson's Has Visited Joe Biden's White House Doctor Nine Times Since Last Year Alone. "Alex Berenson at his substack, Unreported Truths:" and Axios: Biden's Prep for Events Includes Photographs Showing Him How to Walk to the Podium, and he still screws it up. Jazz Shaw at Hat Hair says it is, Revealed: Biden's Staff Spends Most of Their Time Training Him to Walk. Sundance hears White House Spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre Have Heated Exchange About Parkinsons Doctor Visiting White House. Cutie Pavlich at TownHall, White House Briefing Blows Up After Press Refuses to Buy KJP's Spin. Althouse, "Biden’s word salad and sudden drops in volume to pianissimo are relevant for reporters to cover because they’re a microcosm of the questions..." "... at the heart of the 2024 Democratic campaign: Is the president’s mental state strong enough to beat Donald Trump and can he serve for four more years? The desperate Biden team is ready to go to war over every syllable. Writes Maureen Dowd in "Joe Biden, in the Goodest Bunker Ever" (NYT), detailing how the Biden team came for her:" WaEx reports Comer investigating Biden’s doctor after ‘concerning’ debate performance. From Twitchy, They've ALWAYS Known: Even Democrat Canvasser Can't Help Telling the Truth About Biden (Watch). RNC Research@RNCResearch, "Here's how one of Biden's own campaign volunteers reacted when he heard Crooked Joe was stopping by: "I hope he's awake for it"" At Reason, Biden Insists Beyond All Reason That He's the Most Qualified Person To Be President "I had a bad night," Biden repeatedly said in an ABC interview about his debate debacle." At Althouse, A dialogue about Trump and Biden. Composed by my son John (at Facebook) . . .  Matt Vespa likes how How the Trump Campaign Wrecked Biden's Rapid Response Director: 'Do You Have a Cold?' Seth Dillon@SethDillon "Another Babylon Bee prophecy fulfilled." A program to translate Biden into English. Mark Tapscott at PJM points out Biden's White House Staff, Payroll Are Biggest Since Nixon. Well, he's not doing anything, and there's a lot of spin to be spun. 

Jonathan Tobin at Da Fed says Joe Biden Is Not A Decent Man. I never thought he was. Capt. Ed, "Joe Biden has never been anything than a lying, vicious demagogue and an empty suit blessed with great PR cover from the media." Frank Menton at the Manhattan Contrarian asks  Who Is The Greater "Threat To Democracy"? Trump or Biden? Capt. Ed "Three guesses, and the first two don't count. There's room for real criticism of Trump in the post-election period, but Biden and his administration have done far worse, as Menton elaborates." CJ, Covid Politics ’24. "Joe Biden’s effort to use pandemic failures as a weapon against Donald Trump risks reminding voters of how much they dislike the president’s own policies." Don Surber asks Who's more unfit? FJB or the press? Capt. Ed snarks Can we call it a tie?. Nate Silver thinks Blaming the media is what got Democrats into this mess, Ace, Radio Host Confesses That She Was Given the Questions She Was Allowed to Ask Biden by the White House; Radio Station Fires Her for Telling the Truth, "This is how Banana Republics operate when the banana harvest fails." Althouse, Why does The Washington Post illustrate this article with a photo of a random woman rather than the woman the article is about? Obviously because she was Black. 

CNN worries A key part of America’s economy has shifted into reverse. "Consumer demand seems to have tapered off so far this summer, according to surveys of American businesses that sell any kind of service to make a profit, ranging from restaurants to dental clinics. That weakness is also evident in the latest spending figures — a far cry from last year’s lucrative summertime spending spree when Americans shelled out for films and high-profile concerts." Fortune, One of the most accurate recession indicators is close to sounding the alarm as unemployment continues to rise. Sal Mercogliano (WGOW Shipping)@mercoglianos. "Spot rate surge to continue past Golden Week, with surcharges causing more pain.:  Trent Telenko@TrentTelenko "And we will see a big inflation spike before the Nov 2024 election as a result." At OTP, NYC Residents In Poorest Zip Codes Bear Most Of City’s Migrant Crisis. You didn't expect the Democrat donor class to suffer, did you?

Henry Rogers at Da Caller, ‘He’s An Asshole’: How Trump And Centrists United To Oust The Chair Of The Freedom Caucus. Ben Whedon at JTN thinks After years of Republicans saying they can win Nevada, this could finally be their year. Until they count the "mail-in" ballots. Fox, House Dems launch united effort against election bill requiring voters prove citizenship. "'Democrats are urged to VOTE NO on H.R. 8281,' a whip question states." Ace, Democrats Banding Together to Block a Law to Prevent Illegal Aliens from Voting in Elections -- For Some Reason. "The SAVE Act would require voters to prove they're actually entitled to vote. Democrats are whipping votes against it -- their (Voter) Replacement Theory doesn't work unless illegals are voting to let more illegals into the country." From Da Fetched, Elon Musk Warns Democrats Are Preparing to Use Non-Citizen Votes to Steal Election. 

At NewsWeek, Supreme Court Didn't Give 'Green Light for Death Squads'—Attorney. Jonathan Turley, “A Death Squad Ruling”: The Press and Pundits Make Wild Claims in the Wake of the Court’s Immunity Decision. ET, Judge Rejects Trump Codefendant Motion to Dismiss Classified Documents Case "U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon rejected a motion to dismiss the classified documents case special counsel Jack Smith is prosecuting. . . . Mr. Nauta moved to dismiss the case based on selective and vindictive prosecution—a motion also separately raised by former President Trump."

Da Fetched, JD Vance Destroys NBC Host When Asked if Trump Will Weaponize DOJ if Elected. Breitbart, Murphy: Trump Wants to ‘Mainstream Political Violence in This Country’. Dave Strom notices that when The Left Loses, It Riots; The Left Wins, It Riots. At Twitchy, Patriot Front Jumps Out of Their U-Haul Trailer in Nashville. Larry Schweikart@LarrySchweikart "Why doesn't some brave reporter follow some of these people home, get their names and check their voter reg and social media accounts?" Presumably part of the Fedsurrection. 

Alex Berenson, In stealing my story today, the New York Times committed a serious breach of journalistic ethics (yes, that's a thing). "They didn't just fail to give me credit I earned, in hiding their "breaking news" source they misled their own readers. I can't do anything about it except try to expose them and correct the record." The story was mentioned by Ace, above.

Grayson Bakich at PJM flabbergasted that Leftists Oppose California Trafficking Law Because It 'Disproportionately Targets [the] Marginalized' " have you ever noticed that whenever leftists advocate for something truly horrid like normalizing pedophilia, they couch it in language about how laws are disproportionately unfair to certain groups of people?" Children lower on intersectionality ranking than pedos. 

NYT, cited at Hat Hair, NEW: Columbia U Removes 3 Admins Over Anti-Semitic Texts.

Jazz Shaw sees hopeful signs Suburban Democrats Rejecting Wokeness

The Wombat has and FMJRA 2.0: The Beatings Continue garnering clicks at The Other McCain.

The General Election Post - Monday Morning Edition

My cup, or rather my digital bin, runneth over. Where to start? It seems like the Glenn Youngkin vs. Terry McAuliffe fight for the Virginia governorship is drawing the most attention. At Front Page, Thomas Swell lays out the High Stakes in Virginia. National Journal claims Democrats overplaying the Trump card in Virginia governor’s race. It's the only card in their deck. Althouse quotes Obama — stumping for McAuliffe — asserts that Republicans are not trying to win with ideas. Not his ideas, anyway. Also, "You can believe him, because he's done it before" — Obama's pitch for McAuliffe. "It's an anti-change argument from a rhetorician who built his career on the abstraction "change."" BizPac, From Breitbart Barack Obama Calls Outcry over Loudoun County Rape Coverup ‘Phony, Trumped-Up Culture War’ It would probably be different if it was his girls getting raped in the high school bathroom by chicks with dicks.   Filthy rich Obama mocks Glenn Youngkin for being a ‘wealthy person’ in stump speech, plays ‘insurrection’ card. But Youngkin made his in business, Obama made his influence pedaling. 

WATCH: @jonkarl reports that @TerryMcAuliffe has tapped the biggest Dem names for some "much needed energy" then asks...

"Why do you need all the help?" 💀💀💀@GlennYoungkin on the other hand doesn't rely on big names to be able to draw big crowds. 👏#WinWithGlenn #VAgov pic.twitter.com/ZeCJ2aZWRO

— Christian Martinez (@C_RMartinez) October 24, 2021

At Fox, Mary Vought: Virginia's Terry McAuliffe puts special interests between parents and their children, "As governor of Virginia McAuliffe turned his back on special needs parents." At Da Fed, Jordan Davidson finds Loudoun County Schools Institutionalized Critical Race Theory Despite Public Opposition The Wa Free Bee sees the Virginia Dems’ Lax School Crime Bill Under Fire Amid Rape Scandal, "Law excusing school officials from reporting crimes becomes political liability ahead of elections." Richmond. Times Dispatch hears Youngkin calls for police in all Virginia schools, tapping into heated school issues to close his campaign, and it's making Democrats very nervous. 

“Something has happened in the last few weeks among suburban women,” said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute, which has conducted polling in the race for months.

“The poll confirms that Youngkin’s strategy is working. And that McAuliffe was unwise to blow it off, to think that suburban women who have tended in recent elections to vote for Democrats would continue to do that, couldn’t be moved off that track,” Murray said.

Fox calls out McAuliffe for the "Big Lie",  McAuliffe claims Stacey Abrams should be governor of Georgia, furthering what some call her 'Big Lie', "McAuliffe accused Brian Kemp of having 'disenfranchised' 1.4 million voters despite reviews finding this accusation false", also, Youngkin campaign slams McAuliffe in new video ad for shrugging off Northam's blackface photo, "Blackface photo 'a dumb mistake 40 years ago,' McAuliffe said in 2019." So, should it have been career ending or not? Stephen Kruiser at PJ Media calls Stacey Abrams  the Worst Fake Governor in America.

Which is a decent lead in to the issue of whether the GRU FBI needs to be investigating parents for rowdy behavior at schoolboard meetings (no, they don't). As we saw over the weekend, National School Board Walks Back Letter Comparing Parents To ‘Domestic Terrorists’ After Bombshell Emails Exposed White House Collaboration (Da Caller),  Wa Free Bee, ‘No Justification’: School Board Association Retracts Letter Likening Parents to Domestic Terrorists, and NR, National School Boards Association Apologizes for Letter Comparing Parents to Terrorists. But will this cause Merrick Garland to publicly retract his siccing of FBI agents on parents? Don't hold your breath. NYPo, It’s the White House siccing the FBI on parents who question CRT nonsense. John Green at Am Think thinks The DOJ Targets Domestic Terrorists -- AKA Angry Americans. Clarice at Am Think calls it The Teachers Union's Fumbled Play, but you have to also give plenty of blame to the White House. JTN finds out that the School boards group that equated parental activism with 'domestic terrorism' owes IRS $20 million. I'm sure the Biden IRS will get right on that. From Da Wire, Josh Hawley Demands Merrick Garland Resign: ‘Dangerous Abuse Of Authority,’ “Merrick Garland mobilized the FBI to intimidate parents without legal basis.”

Some actual 2020 Election material surfaced too. From JTN, Demand for forensic audits of 2020 election in all 50 states rapidly gaining support, "Originally signed by 41 state legislators from 15 states, open letter prompted by Maricopa County voting review has now been signed by 150 from 38 states. Sundance at CTH sees Questions Surfacing in 2020 Election Lawsuit About Who Exactly Was Controlling the Election Systems, Contractors or Government, citing Emerald Robinson at substack, The U.S. Government & The Third-Party Vendor Are One. Rebecca Behrends at Am Think discourses on Election Fraud Investigation Hesitancy in Michigan "Don't turn on the lights 'cause I don't want to see! Chuck DeVore at Da Fed explains How Texas Protected Its Vote From Getting ‘Rigged’ In 2020, which leads to a discussion of  Biden’s Unlawful Plan to Federalize Elections (Am Spec), "It’s not only unsettling, but unconstitutional." But Da Wire assures us Dems’ Push For Fed Control Of All Elections Is Going Nowhere, but I'm not assured. 

Kate Scanlon at WaEx thinks New Hampshire polls signal tight 2022 Senate race. Dougie Schoen atop Da Hill claims to know What Democrats need to do to avoid self-destruction. Don't tell them! "We do need a limited and focused amount of government that delivers targeted, practical economic and social policies." What a novel idea!

At Da Wire, Top Senator Pushes Manchin To Switch Parties: ‘No Reason Why He Belongs With The Party Of Inflation’. I wouldn't call Kennedy a "top" Senator, but he certainly is the funniest (not a high bar). 

Andrew Kerr at Da Caller reports Democratic Fundraising Powerhouse ActBlue Amassed Nearly $150 Million From Small Donors With Misleading Sales Pitch, Documents Show. How quickly things move from a cause, to a business and then a scam.

• ActBlue accumulated a cash hoard of at least $172.8 million by the end of 2020 while simultaneously claiming it does not profit from the 3.95% processing fee it charges to politicians that fundraise with the platform.
• ActBlue’s nonprofit processing arm has reported paying income taxes on its profits every year since 2013, IRS records show.
• From 2013 through 2020, ActBlue’s PAC raked in $147.7 million in “tips” from small-dollar Democratic donors, Federal Election Commission records show.
• Multiple election law attorneys said ActBlue’s fundraising tactics raise serious legal concerns.

Mary Papenfuss (God, I love that name) whines at Da Beast that Coding Org Seeks 'Legal Counsel' After Trump Social Media Venture Appears To Violate Terms, "A software project dedicated to community ownership and public accessibility slams into Donald Trump's "Truth Social" media efforts." At NYPo, Facebook employees tried to suppress conservative news outlets, report shows. Thanks, Capt. Obvious. Taylor Millard at Haut Hair warns Blumethal's regulation theatrics towards Facebook mean nothing. Democrats have no intention of doing anything about that.

for those on the right and left who dream regulation or forced break up suddenly fixes every ill with social media. Give me a break. The federal government’s trust-busting abilities are as effective as its skills in the wars on drugs, poverty, and terrorism.

Bay Governors to Feds, Boy We Could Sure Use Another Billion Bucks

Bay Journal, Governors say a ‘Billion for the Bay’ will help clean up the Chesapeake

Governors from Chesapeake Bay watershed states are urging Congress to spend an additional billion dollars on Bay restoration efforts.

Their letter to leaders of the U.S. House and Senate, dated May 13, urged federal support for a “bold plan” that would boost state and local economies while helping to “achieve the long-elusive goal of restoring the Chesapeake Bay.”

The request was announced on Twitter by Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam. “Today, I joined our Chesapeake Bay watershed partners in calling on Congressional leaders to make bold investments in Bay restoration,” he wrote. “Our Billion for the Bay Initiative will create jobs, stimulate economic growth, and protect the health of America’s largest estuary.”

The two-page letter provides little detail about how the money would be used or how many years the billion dollars would be spread across.

Northam chairs the Chesapeake Bay Executive Council, the top policymaking body that has guided Bay restoration efforts since 1983. The council includes the governors of all six states in the watershed — Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware and West Virginia — as well as the mayor of the District of Columbia; the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; and the chair of the Chesapeake Bay Commission, which represents state legislatures.
. . .
The letter said the additional money would provide a “significant and much needed infusion of new funds that will jumpstart the final phase of Bay restoration and put people to work building clean water infrastructure, including green infrastructure that will reduce stormwater and agricultural water pollution, the restoration of natural landscapes, and helping us adapt to the impacts of climate change.”

The letter notes that the region faces a 2025 deadline to implement all pollution control measures needed to clean up the Bay, which would require ramped up efforts to control agricultural runoff, manage stormwater, protect forests, create wetlands and other actions that would help restore the health of the Bay and its 64,000-square-mile watershed.

The letter notes that “the lion’s share” of the fiscal responsibilities for Bay restoration rests with the states, but that their budgets have been hard hit during the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, “many individuals, including farmers and ratepayers who must share in the cost of these upgrades, are also struggling,” the letter stated.

The letter said the additional funding would enhance cleanup efforts that are significantly behind schedule and boost economic activity, generating “tens of thousands” of jobs.

The letter provides no detail about whether the additional money would be steered strictly toward water quality-related projects or whether it could also be used for related Bay initiatives such as oyster restoration and land conservation.

In other words, a blank check. "A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you're talking about real money" to quote Senator Everett Dirksen.

Governor Canute Promises Half A Billion to Stop Sea Level Rise

 Northam announces $500 million plan to mitigate sea level rise

“Every day, billions of dollars of private property and public infrastructure are at risk from flooding,” Gov. Ralph Northam (D-Va.) said Thursday morning at the boat launch at the end of LaValette Avenue in Norfolk.

Virginia has the highest rate of sea-level rise on the Atlantic coast, per the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, up more than 14 inches since 1930. In 2018 and 2019 alone, Virginia experienced nine major flooding events that led to about $1.6 billion in damage Northam’s office says.

“Whether you live in the seven cities of Hampton Roads or on a farm on the Eastern Shore, we are all feeling the impact,” Northam said.

While there are a lot of advantages of living by the shore, one of the disadvantages is that flooding is not only likely, it's downright inevitable in the long term. 

The $500 million for the plan will come from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Virginia became part of RGGI this past summer, joining ten other Mid-Atlantic and New England states. Northam calls the plan a “innovative, science-based approach” with a focus on cost-effective and natural solutions.

“The pandemic has changed many aspects of our lives, but not the fact that our planet is warming, land is sinking, sea levels are rising, and extreme weather events are more frequent and more severe,” said Northam in a news release. “The science is clear: climate change is threatening our way of life, and there is no time to waste. We must act quickly and decisively — and the Coastal Master Planning Framework will be our roadmap to resilience in coastal Virginia. This innovative, science-based approach uses cost-effective, nature-based, and equitable strategies to protect our people, our communities, our infrastructure, and our economy right now and for generations to come.”

While sea level is rising, and faster in Virginia than in most other places due to natural, and man made subsidence, there's no evidence that sea level rise is accelerating due to anything other than the end of the last glaciation, let alone anthropomorphic climate change  

These are the framework’s guiding principles:

1. Acknowledge climate change and its consequences, and base decision-making on the best available science.
2. Identify and address socioeconomic inequities and work to enhance equity through coastal adaptation and protection efforts.
3. Recognize the importance of protecting and enhancing green infrastructure like natural coastal barriers and fish and wildlife habitat by prioritizing nature-based solutions.
4. Utilize community and regional scale planning to the maximum extent possible, seeking region-specific approaches tailored to the needs of individual communities.
5. Understand fiscal realities and focus on the most cost-effective solutions for protection and adaptation of our communities, businesses and critical infrastructure.

According to state data in the past two years, Virginia homes and businesses sustained $1.6 billion worth of flood damage. Secretary of Natural Resources Matt Strickler says business and home owners in coastal areas are beginning to wonder whether they’ll need to relocate.

I hereby predict that the majority of the half billion gets distributed to liberal non-profits and academics who will look for ways to make the problem seem worse than it is, while not building a single sea wall, raising a building or providing help to a business being impacted.

Richmond 2nd Amendment Rally Ends Without Gun Play

or other violence: Despite  warnings from Stacy McCain, Be Careful in Richmond, Please
CNN and MSNBC hurt worse Gun rights rally in Va. capital concludes without reports of violence, injury

Thousands of gun-rights activists rallied peacefully at the Virginia Capitol on Monday under a heavy police presence, protesting plans by the state's Democratic leadership to pass gun-control legislation.

The size of the rally and the expected participation of white supremacists and fringe militia groups raised fears that the state could see a repeat of the violence that exploded in 2017 in Charlottesville. But the rally concluded uneventfully around noon, and attendees spilled into the streets, chanting and waving signs.

A spokesman for the Capitol police said that as of 11 a.m. there had been no reports of arrests or injuries.

The Richmond protesters, who were mostly white and male, came out in the thousands despite the chilly temperature to send a message to legislators, they said. “The government doesn’t run us, we run the government,” said Kem Regik, a 20-year-old private security officer from northern Virginia who brought a white flag with a picture of a rifle captioned, “Come and take it.”

Northam was a particular focus of the protester's wrath. One poster showed his face superimposed on Adolf Hitler's body.

Many of the protesters wore camouflage. Some waved flags with messages of support for President Donald Trump. Trump, in turn, tweeted support for their goals.

One NBC correspondent, Gab Gutierrez, mistook the Pledge of Allegiance for a chant of "We will not comply", not that there's anything wrong with that either.

Chants of “we will not comply” from gun rights protesters in Richmond. pic.twitter.com/BjEfniwMKP

— Gabe Gutierrez (@gabegutierrez) January 20, 2020

A lot more at Hot Air from John Sexton, More On That Gun Rights Rally In Virginia (Updates)

CNN sounds disappointed pic.twitter.com/OWpsCCYR0q

— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) January 20, 2020

Counter protestors have showed up at the Richmond capitol

It appears to be @RefuseFascism primarily comprised of Los Angeles chapter members

There were about 9 of them calling for a communist revolution in the streets

Attendees did not harass or assault them

Totally Peaceful pic.twitter.com/i9V64eKlZE

— ELIJAH (@ElijahSchaffer) January 20, 2020

I have yet to see a single white supremacist at the Richmond, VA pro-2A rally.

Weird, considering the media claimed they were the organizers of the event?

In fact, the only white supremacist in sight is Ralph Northam on the protester's signs: pic.twitter.com/trSzqVTe1p

— Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) January 20, 2020

FAKE NEWS -> @MSNBC's @CraigMelvin who just claimed that "thousands" of "white nationalists" and "militia groups" are "swarming the state capitol in Richmond" (along with "guns rights activists") #2A #LobbyDay2020 #VirginiaRally pic.twitter.com/9cgymITqe4

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) January 20, 2020

Reich-stag Fire in Virginia?

Smitty at The Other McCain wonders if Governor Northam Couldn’t Be Setting Up A “Reichstag Fire” Event, Could He?. Sure he could.

Via @deplorable_s on Twitter and Tom DeWeese on FaceBook we have this tidbit:

The whole Charlottesville disaster was bad enough, and Stacy covered it here and here. Given the Left’s need to control the conversation coupled with the pending implosion of the impeachment disaster, makes the Democrats more of a rabid, injured, cornered animal than usual. . .

The Virginia Senate just passed a set of unpopular gun control laws, despite the substantial negative feedback at the county level. Stupid, futile gestures indeed. And now, peaceful, patriotic protest in the capitol is threatened by Lefty violence and a judiciary that support’s Northam’s infringement of Constitutional rights.

It would be unfortunate if busloads of Antifa weenies tried to cause trouble and tragedy ensued. While the country could hypothetically view the eternal absence of Antifa as an improvement, that’s really just an extension of the “This is why we can’t have nice things” argument.

The real problem here is due to Virginia conservatives not convincing enough voters to oust the Democrats at the ballot box.

Which brings us full circle to the impeachment fracas. This Virginia sideshow God willing, will only prove a footnote in the overall collapse of the Left’s effort to “fundamentally transform the United States of America”. Down with the Democrats, down with Antifa, down with the media.

I'd say I was sorry for my fellow Virginians, but I live in Maryland, where we lead rather than follow in this particular folly.

Corwin has a couple of friends who intend to attend the protest; I don't even know which side, or if they're just going for the chaos. It will be interesting to hear what they report.

Governor Blackface Ponders Pennsylvania Suit

Northam ‘discussing’ whether to take legal action against Pennsylvania, EPA over Bay cleanup

Gov. Ralph Northam is weighing legal action against Pennsylvania over its Chesapeake Bay cleanup plan, which falls short of the state’s commitments to reduce pollutants that make it into the bay.

On Jan. 8, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced he was directing his state’s attorney general to pursue an action against both Pennsylvania and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which has broad authority over the decades-long effort.

“It’s clear the Trump EPA must do more to ensure accountability across all watershed states,” said Northam spokeswoman Alena Yarmosky in an email. “Our administration is discussing various next steps with Attorney General Mark Herring’s office, Governor Hogan, and other regional partners.”

In response to the administration’s statement, Chesapeake Bay Foundation Virginia Executive Director Peggy Sanner said her organization “would support any action that helps Pennsylvania achieve its (Clean Water) Blueprint goals.”

“So far, Pennsylvania’s elected officials have not made the investments needed to meet their clean water commitments,” she said. “And EPA’s failure to impose consequences puts the entire cleanup at risk.”

The dustup over Pennsylvania follows years of shortfalls by that state in meeting reductions targets for nitrogen and phosphorus, the two nutrients responsible for most of the pollution in the Chesapeake Bay.

This December, the EPA found that Pennsylvania’s most recent plan to meet 2025 cleanup goals failed to meet the nitrogen reduction target by almost 10 million pounds.

If I were a politician in Pennsylvania, I would be looking for obscure and possibly expensive excuses to sue Maryland and Virginia.

Gov. Blackface Makes a Good Proposal

Northam: Fish-oil firm should halt fishing in Chesapeake Bay

Virginia’s governor is urging the Trump administration to stop a company that makes fish-oil supplements from fishing in the Chesapeake Bay.

Gov. Ralph Northam has asked U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to place a moratorium on the catching of menhaden in the bay.

Northam’s letter, dated Wednesday, says the moratorium will protect a fish that’s vital to the bay’s food chain and serves as food for striped bass, dolphins and birds.

The firm, Omega Protein, harvests menhaden to make fish-oil supplements and other products. The firm defied catch limits in the bay set by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. The commission is also asking Ross to intervene.

Omega Protein has said that menhaden aren’t being overfished and that the commission’s harvest cap lacks scientific justification.

While the Atlantic Coast menhaden may not be over harvested, by focusing their harvesting of a substantial fraction of their coast wide quota in the Bay, Omega is likely depriving the Bay of a substantial benefit from the Menhaden who concentrate there in summer.

Special Counsel Fails to Exonerate Ralph Northam of Racism

So he must be guilty, AmIright? That's the new standard. WaPoo (secret 30 day code), The report on the Northam blackface scandal is a big fat shrug

AFTER HIS initial, unequivocal statement of admission and contrition, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) has strained credulity with his subsequent, turn-on-a-dime insistence that he was neither of two figures depicted in the racist photograph that appeared on his medical-school yearbook page in 1984. Since that head-spinning reversal over the course of less than 24 hours at the beginning of February, very little has emerged to shed light on that photograph, of one person in blackface and another in a Ku Klux Klan hood and robe, or on the mystery of its genesis and how it landed on Mr. Northam’s page if he did not put it there.

Now, with the publication of what was meant to be the definitive report on the incident, the conclusion, or rather non-conclusion, is a big fat shrug. After four months of investigations by a prominent lawyer at Richmond’s most notable law firm, the verdict in the matter of Mr. Northam’s youthful yearbook is in. It is no verdict at all.

The 55-page report, conducted by the firm McGuireWoods and overseen by former U.S. attorney and Virginia attorney general Richard Cullen, a partner at the firm, at the request of Mr. Northam’s alma mater, Eastern Virginia Medical School, is the product of dozens of interviews (and many spotty memories). In the end, the investigators were unable to determine the genesis of the photo or identify its subjects. And the report takes at face value Mr. Northam’s own, contradictory statements, amplified by two interviews the governor granted the report’s authors. (The initial statement, the governor and his aides insist, was a colossal misjudgment made in haste amid crisis, chaos and pressure.)

Attorneys are often called counsels, and this one is "special" hence, "Special Counsel"

That’s the hard part. For even as he was denying (after admitting) being in the photograph or placing it in his yearbook, Mr. Northam also acknowledged that he attended a dance competition around the same time, in Texas, wearing blackface while dressed as Michael Jackson. In his defense, the governor now says that was an act of racial and historical cluelessness. Okay, but if he was so clueless in Texas, then why credit his denials regarding an act of similar cluelessness (or worse) in Virginia?

The governor told the McGuireWoods team that he is “positive” he wasn’t in the notorious photo and has no idea how it ended up on his yearbook page. Yet the investigators could find no evidence that the photo appeared there in error, or as a prank, “or by any other means not at his direction.”

Over the River and Through the Woods

Actually over two rivers, the Patuxent and Potomac, and through the woods of Virginia lies it's capitol, Richmond, where there seems to be very little progress in resolving the Northman, Fairfax and what's his name matter.

Ace catches Buzzfeed in another lie (surprise, surprise): Learn to Code: BuzzFeed Repeats Northam Team's Spin That He Couldn't Be the One in the Blackface Photo, Because That Person Held a Beer in His Right Hand While Northam is Left-Handed. Lots of pictures showing him using his right hand, including signing legislation.

Hold up -- not sure why BuzzFeed is reporting that Northam is left handed. He's right-handed. pic.twitter.com/FbZOFZ55Kz

— Chuck Ross (@ChuckRossDC) February 8, 2019

Ed Driscol at Insty chronicles the Virginia Clown Show Update: Governor Blackface Brags about His Moral Compass and Explains How It’s All Our Fault. "You don’t get to brag about your moral compass when you’re in this situation."

Whatever. It's all Donald Trump's fault. It's so easy, which didn't we see it? He went back in time in his secret Presidential time machine and applied the blackface to Northam. It's all good because Northam Is Stealing Hillary Clinton’s Idea For A “Listening Tour”.

Stephen Green at Insty M. CATHARINE EVANS: The Virginia train wreck has set the stage for 2020.

Thanks to Virginia’s embroiled leaders, the Democrats have become not only the party of drugs, human-trafficking, open borders, MS-13, a Green New Deal, and socialism; they have now outed themselves as the Party of Infanticide, Racism, the KKK, Sexism (“F— the B—-“), and Rapists.
President Trump and the Republican Party should get a lot of mileage out of the Racist & Rapist party’s double standard. There’s little doubt among conservatives in Virginia and across the nation that if these were three Republican leaders simultaneously being accused of racism and rape, Antifa, MoveOn, Black Lives Matter, the NAACP, and #MeToo would be blocking traffic, threatening riots, and surrounding the capitol in Richmond until all three resigned.
In spite of the Democrats’ long history of getting away with everything, including murder (Ted Kennedy), the explosive and quickly moving chain of events in Virginia these past few weeks has made ignoring this political earthquake impossible for the media.

Yes, but… in recent years the media has largely taken a different tack on stories too big too ignore, but too damaging to their (D) friends:

• Coverage that’s as perfunctory as can be gotten away with
• Framed whenever possible as a (D)-said/(R)-said “controversy”
• In which “Republicans Pounce!”
• While applying no direct pressure on (D) for an investigation/resignation/etc
• And then when nothing like an investigation or resignation happens, present the story, if at all, as “old news.”

Oh, and one last thing. “Old news” is usually combined with “Republicans still obsessed with ‘old news’.”

Northam ain't goin nowhere. Get used to it. Now on the matter of Justin Fairfax, like rats deserting a sinking ship, Staffers to Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax resign following second sexual assault allegation. And Justin Fairfax placed on leave by his law firm after rape allegation. Hmmm, I guess they don't want to get tarred with the same brush. But, Virginia Dem Backs Off Plan To Impeach Fairfax Over Rape Claims After Black Lawmakers Object.

By way of the the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 02.11.19 , almost inevitably (too) sensible Megan McArdle thinks We need a single standard for Ralph Northam, Justin Fairfax — and all the others

The repugnant practice of blackface was mainstream entertainment a century ago. In the 1980s, blackface was still apparently acceptable enough in some quarters that young men put it on and smiled for a camera. But America has undergone a period of unusually rapid social change, and today no decent person would countenance such behavior. Over the course of a lifetime, some people will have done a bad thing before they fully realized its badness.

If those people are willing to acknowledge their past sins, they deserve some leniency, not because racist caricature is anything less than abhorrent but because the easier it is for people to leave behind their past wrongs, the faster society can move forward.

Sexual assault is a different matter. But it is not anti-woman, or pro-rape, to recognize that old memories can be unreliable, or to acknowledge that false accusations do happen, and therefore conclude that something more than a simple accusation is needed to justify drumming someone out of public life.

Had Democrats staked out this reasonable middle ground earlier, they would not be facing such an ugly situation in Virginia. It would be embarrassing to shift positions now. But that’s better than the tempting alternative: practice restraint when their political interests are at stake, and reassemble the vigilante squad when a Republican turns up in the dock.

That’s essentially what they did with Bill Clinton. Just when feminists were making serious inroads against sexual harassment, Democrats started pretending that it somehow wasn’t an appalling abuse of power for the most powerful man in the world to use an intern for sexual gratification. It’s nauseating to contemplate what the women in my generation were forced to endure while waiting for the Clintons to leave public life so that feminists could reclaim their principles from lost-and-found.

But that is nothing compared with the damage that would be done if the left went soft on its own, while maintaining a hard line for its opponents. That reduces vital principles to mere tactical political weapons — and in doing so, renders them largely useless either as weapons or as principles.

Instead, what’s needed is a single standard for everyone, one that delivers swift punishment for clear and recent offenses but recognizes the inherent ambiguity of older and less well-corroborated ones. In the short term, tempering justice with mercy will be better for Democrats. And in the long term, much better for America.

In principle, I agree with all of this. As a practical matter, however, if we allow the Democrats to skate again on the idea that the offenses are just "Old News", they will simply continue to persecute Republicans for the same offenses. No quarter! Unless they beg nicely.